RIYADH: Coalition forces intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by Yemen's Houthi militia toward Riyadh early Friday, the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said.
In a post on X, coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the missile was shot down shortly after 4 a.m.
Earlier, at around 1 a.m., air defenses in the Kingdom intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by the "terrorist Houthi militia" toward the southern region, Al-Maliki said.
The latest attempted attacks come amid a sharp escalation in cross-border strikes by the Iran-backed Houthis. Coalition figures show the militia launched at least 14 ballistic missiles and more than 60 armed drones targeting the Kingdom during October.
According to coalition reports, missiles have targeted Riyadh, Khamis Mushayt, Najran and the Eastern Province. A cruise missile fired toward the Madinah region on Oct. 15 was also intercepted.
The Houthis have increasingly targeted airports, energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure across Saudi Arabia. Coalition and official government reports carried by the Saudi Press Agency say attacks this month have killed 24 people and injured at least 374 others.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh recorded the highest toll, with 18 deaths and more than 333 injuries during a series of missile and drone attacks between Oct. 7 and Oct. 11.
The deadliest strike occurred on Oct. 10, when a ballistic missile hit an area between Terminals 3 and 4 at the airport, killing 13 people and wounding 309 others. Additional casualties and damage were caused by falling debris from intercepted missiles and drones.
Elsewhere, attacks on Abha International Airport killed two people and injured 28. King Fahd International Airport in Dammam reported two deaths and eight injuries, while two people were killed and two others wounded in attacks on Saudi Aramco's Shaybah oil facilities. Three people were also injured in strikes targeting King Abdullah Airport in Jazan.
The latest launch came a day after several Arab countries and the Muslim World League condemned Houthi attacks on King Fahd International Airport and the Shaybah oilfield that killed four people and injured 10.
The UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt denounced the strikes as violations of Saudi sovereignty and international law and reiterated support for the Kingdom's security and territorial integrity. Bahrain also called for international action to halt the attacks and warned that the recent escalation threatened regional stability and global energy security.